Patent GB-1384805-A (GB)
IPC: H04M1/65
Filed: 1972-10-24
Abstract: 1384805 Recording and playback S W JACOBSON 24 Oct 1972 [3 Nov 1971 19 May 1972] 48975/72 Heading G5R [Also in Division H4] In a telephone answering machine an announcement tape loop 13 and a message tape 16 are driven continuously by a single motor 18 during a telephone answering cycle and the timing of the cycle, i.e. the announcement transmit mode and the message record mode, is governed by a conductive segment 19 on the tape loop 13. Telephone answering mode.-Depression of operate button 23 causes arm 24 to move rearward of the chassis bringing record head 26 and erase head 27 into contact with message tape 16 and causing lever 28 to bring tape loop drive wheel 30 into engagement with friction disc 31, the disc 31 being coupled via idler 33 to the motor shaft 18a. Toggle switches 45, 46 are also brought to their operate positions. Receipt of ringing current over line 12 at terminals 52, 53 causes relay 54 to operate and connect power via regulator 71 to the motor 18 which operates to drive both tape loop 13 and message tape 16. During the interval in which conductive strip 19 travels from its initial position adjacent contacts 20a, 20b to contacts 22a, 22b, the announcement is transmitted from tape loop 13 via head 14, and amplifier 15 to the line 12, message tape head 26 being held saturated during this period by an output from bi-stable device 81 which was set to its initial state when the power supply was connected via relay 54, the saturation of head 26 reducing to a minimum the possibility of the announcement being recorded on message tape 16. When conductive strip 19 shorts contacts 22a, 22b bi-stable device 81 is switched, after a short delay to allow transmission of a speaknow tone, and causes amplifier 15 to be disabled and head 26 to be desaturated. An incoming message is then recorded on message tape 16, the incoming speech signal being fed directly to head 26. When the conductive strip 19 again shorts contacts 20a, 20b relay 54 releases disconnecting power from the motor 18, amplifier 15 and bi-stable 81, thereby terminating the cycle.  Rewind of message tape is achieved by depressing button 90, causing arm 25 to retract and thereby sufficiently pivoting lever 28 to disengage the tape loop drive wheel 30 from friction disc 31. Motor shaft 18a is disengaged from idler 33 and is coupled instead to friction disc 91 which drives reel 16b of the message tape. Toggle switch 46 is put in the rewind position to connect the supply 48 directly across the motor 18. Playback of messages.-Button 93 is depressed which moves head 26 but not erase head 27 into engagement with message tape 16 and positions idler 33 against friction disc 31, drive wheel 30 remaining disengaged. Toggle switch 45 moves to the playback position and switches 46, 47 remain in the operate position. Message tape 16 is driven alone to play the message back via head 26, amplifier 15 and speaker 95. Recording of announcements.-Control arm 97 is operated to bring erase head 98 into contact with the tape loop 13 and to put toggle switch 47 to the record new announcement position. The operate button 23 is depressed as for the telephone answering mode and a switch 99 is temporarily operated to simulate receipt of ringing current. A new announcement can then be recorded by speaking into the telephone mouthpiece, whilst the machine goes through an answering cycle. When conductive strip 19 reaches contacts 22a, 22b amplifier 15 is temporarily connected as an oscillator which provides the speak-now tone for recording on the announcement tape. The announcement tape loop may have two tracks with different messages recorded on each track. A stereo type head 14 is then used in conjunction with a changeover switch for preselecting an announcement. The message tape 16 may be in cassette form. A roughened portion 199 is provided on the tape loop 13 for cleaning the heads and contacts. A similar portion may be provided near one end of the message tape.